


dwell in safety

by ttlmtbee



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Development, Ficlet, Introspection, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28747206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttlmtbee/pseuds/ttlmtbee
Summary: dean winchester couldn't remember a time when the gun wasn't under his pillow.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	dwell in safety

**Author's Note:**

> this takes place a couple months after they drive away from chuck in ep 19. the bring back everyone and go rescue cas at some point. ep 20 doesn't exist.
> 
> thank you to @char-arts-occasionally on tumblr for beta-ing <3

Dean noticed it for the first time on a Wednesday morning.

He assumed it was early—the windowless bunker made telling time difficult—as Cas was still sleeping soundly beside him. Dean slowed his breathing to match his partner’s snores. He didn’t know angels could snore, but Cas wasn’t like other angels.

When they got Cas out of the Empty, after the longest three days of Dean’s life waiting for him to wake up again, it had taken less than five minutes for Dean to say  _ you can have me  _ and close the space between their lips. Castiel, angel of the Lord, angel of the Winchesters, home at last. Still Cas, despite everything. Still an angel, but things were different now.

Sam had dubbed it as ‘sleep mode’ after Cas explained. His powers were still there, under the surface, but they were dampened. He didn’t think they were ever going to come back like they were before. He didn’t care. ‘Sleep mode’ turned out to be a good word for it, as the newly powered down angel seemed to really enjoy sleeping. Dean thought he deserved the rest anyway.

When Dean woke up that Wednesday morning, he knew something was different. He could hear Sam and Eileen in the kitchen, damn early risers, but that wasn’t new. He pulled the blanket back up over his shoulder, shoved his pillow under his head, and moved closer to Cas. Dean’s arm felt the cool space where his pillow had just been.

Three months ago, Dean would have launched himself out of bed on instinct. Three months ago, he would have held his breath, listened for something, anything, out of the ordinary. Three months ago, he would have taken his knife out of the bedside table and snuck out of the room to investigate the rest of the bunker.

As it stood now, Dean didn’t move. He wasn’t certain when it must have happened, he didn’t think he did it consciously, but sure enough when he opened his eyes and adjusted to the darkness there it was. His gun, discarded with his jeans from the day before, on the floor next to the bed.

He couldn’t remember a time when it wasn’t under his pillow. Ever since John handed him his first pistol at five years old to protect Sammy while he was out on a hunt, ever since they realized this was bigger than just some monster that killed mom, ever since he had watched too many people he cared about die when he was powerless to stop it; it had always been there. Protection. Insurance. Even during his year with Lisa, it was always close by. Just in case. For safety. But there it was on the floor.

Feeling Cas breathing beside him. Hearing Sam laughing down the hall. Smelling Miracle at the foot of the bed ( _ God _ , he needed a bath). Dean had never felt safer. 

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr @galaxybrian


End file.
